Steam-heating system



- A ril28, 1931. E.S.HALSEY 4 STEAM HEATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 19. 1929 a 4 w J 1 3| 0 1 1 4 11 H a O 3 5 O .wu.1 6 F 1 g m a v l IRYENIOR. EdwacdJ.J aZ-e y,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 28;, 1931 ENT, oFFICE EDWARD S. HAIJSEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OE COLUMBIA STEAM-HEATING sYszrn The invention particularly concerns two pipe steamheating systems of thelow con stant pressuretype in which the radiators are TA, entirely controlled by suitably proportioned individual admission valves. in connection.

therewith.

The main object of this invention is to overcome the numerous circulation troubles M common to two' pipe systems, which are largely caused from the usual practice oi discharging both the air'and the water through the return pipes. This causes air binding of the ordinary system, especially when not perfectly graded, and necessitates numerous expensive automatic appliances in the piping and boiler room to alleviate same, which are liable to many disorders, all of which are eliminated by this new system. The invention consists in'the featuresand combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the' claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a system embodying my invention.

Fig. 21 's an end view. of one of thera-fl diators. Y

Fig. 3 is a View of an adjustable heat deflector. Fig 4 is a view ofa modified form-of U trap. r

Fig. 5 is a view showing the manner of attachment of the vent pipe tothe steam inlet p p In these drawings, liridicatesithe steamgenerator, which may be provided with the.

usual damper, and steam is supplied to the radiators, only two of which are shown, by pipes 7, 8. A supply main is shown at 9. Each radiator preferably has areturn coupling 10 connecting with the return pipes 11 Application filed. February 19, 1929. Serial- No. 341,097.

the room temperature and the valves are gradually closed or opened according as the temperature of the room rises or falls.

While various forms of thermostatic elements 01' valve mechanism may be employed, I preferably employ a form of these elements like that disclosed in application filed by me No.- 333,604, J anuary.19 th, 1929, inwhich the cell 14 contains a' fluid, such as anexample, as kerosene, eXpansible under a rise of tem perature, said fluid controlling certain valve connections by which the valve is set close to or upon its seat tocutofi'the steam supply to the radiator on a prescribed rise of room temperature, and by which the valve is retractedfrom its seat to supply steam to the radiator upon a drop in room temperature. .It is customary to provide automatic traps to prevent the steam from blowing from the. radiator into'the returns, such means being mounted in connection withthe return fittings at the outlet leading from the radiator.

It is also customary to discharge the air from the radiators with the water directly into the return lines, which frequently causes air binding therein. r I

My system provides means to prevent this binding, even if the air is discharged into the returns... I I

With my improvement I. dispense with thermostatic steam traps on the returnsentirely, so as to leave afr'ee open discharge for water at'all times from each radiator into the returns, and Iprefer not to discharge the air with the water. 1

In carrying out my invention, I preferably provide a pipe connection-15 extending from the point where the'air vent of the radiator is usually placed back to the thermostatic cell 14 controlling the steam inlet valve.

The point where the usual air vent is placed is at'm This is on the opposite side of the radiator from the location of the steam inlet valve at 13 and at the upper part of the last radiator sectionand it is atthis point x that the pipe 15 is preferably connected.

While the radiator isbeing charged with steam, the air therein will be discharged through the pipe 15. Its'outlet end 15a is provided with a discharge opening sufiiciently large to vent the air freely. This last section of the radiator is the last one to receive steam and when the steam reaches the point x, if some preventive means were not made, it would soon blow to waste through the return connection 10. With my preferred form, as soon as the steam reaches the point m. in the last section of the radiator, will: flow through the pipe 15 and impinge against the thermostatic cell 14:,quickly expanding the fluid therein sufficiently .to partially close its valve upon its seat to cut down or cut oil the supply of steam to that particular radiator upon which the said cell its valve are mounted. The discharge end of the pipe 15 is turned upwardly to deliver the steam against the lower side of the cell 14, so that the heat will act not-only uponthesaid lower side but willrise allongthe lateralsides of the cell to get a quick action S Vhe'n the supply of steam is eutdownin quantity, so that itno longer issuesfr om pipe 15, the thermostat will open thesteam inlet-valvegradually to supply'sutficient steam to bring the room upYto temperature, but in case the room is very cold, theabove described action may be repeated several times before the room temperature is suiticientlyhigh to cause the throttling down of said valve so as to only partially fill the radiator.

As above stated, the outlet opening of the vent pipe 15 at 15d is large enough to provide a free vent, as distinguished from the ordinary restricted vent as customarily used. This. free vent will insure the escape of air from theradiator and from the system and it will insure quick response of the thermostat in closing the steam inlet valve to the proper degree when the prescribed volume of steam has entered the radiator. With my improvement, as in the application above mentioned, each radiator can be regulated by hand individually by rotating the thermostatic mechanism at 14, to close or open the steam inlet valve. In the drawing I indicate at16, 17 plates associated with the thermostatic mechanism which serve. as heat shielding means, to prevent heat radiated from th'e'valve casing. from reaching the thermostatic cell 14, these plates being similar to those disclosed in said application.

I may employ a restricted vent located at.

a high point inthe system for venting air therefrom. Such vents may be at the upper ends of the pipes 11., 12. v

- At19 I employ an adjustable heat deflector. This consists of a disc or'plate set at an inclination and carried by a collar or holder 20, which may be afiiX-ed to the steam supply pipe by a set screw 21, so that byloosening this screw the collar can be turned about the steam pipe andfixed in any position to which itmay be adjusted. In this way the inclined plate may be set to deflect the rising currents of air in respect to the cell 14, it being noticed,

that said deflector is arranged at a lower level than the cell and, according to its adjustment, it will direct the air current either to or away from the cell.

The vent pipe 15 extends between the columns of the radiator, as shown, or otherwise.

My invention avoids the use of thermostats at the return bends and automatii-c air release valves disposed at various parts of the system. It avoids the troubles resulting from improper engineering in the grading of pipes and connections.

At 22 I show an individual riser sump for catching sediment, suchas rust or dirt. Into this sump the lower end of the return riser 11 or 12 is located; This pipe 12 terminates slightly below the water vlevel ava in the,

sump. This water level is determined the location of the return main .23.. This pipe connects with the sump at a point interme.--

venting of air from the system at-this point.

Its body is otsuiuciently large diameter to facilitate the free separation of the air front the water. It may have a removable bottom by which the sediment may be removed, or itmay be completely removed to give free access to tli'eopen ends of risers and laterals, by sim ply disconnecting the unions 25 and 25.

By removing. the individual riser .sump the sediment therein .can be dumped out and the laterals, as 23, can be cleared of any obstruce tion, either by running a rod therethrough or by blowing out said lateral. V

Instead of this form of sump, the. form shown in Fig. 4 may be employed. In this form, the lower end of the return riser pipe extends into the chamber22a. This is closed at its top and it has a removable bottom for cleaning. It has a fitting 2319 connected therewith for the return pipe 23a and on this fitting there is'an outlet vent for air consisting of the pipe 230, which is open at its upper end. In Figure 1, the main pipe for returning the condensation water to the boiler is subject to-the fluctuations of water level resultant from variations of theboilenpressure. {Vhen the pressure rises above the prescribed degree,the float rises and allows the damper 2 to close. 26 which runs over pulleys 27 from the piston to the damper. v

This main sump gives .a final separation of air and dirt from the system before the return water reaches the boiler. The free open vent at the top of this common-sump around its piston prevents air binding outrapping of the system. 'i

This is done through a connection LLB I show at 28 a low pressure blow-ofl pipe extending from the main steam supply pipe 9, into a chamber 29 which is filled with water to a predetermined level, having a static head slightly less than that between the water in the boiler and the top of return sump 24, so that the boiler will blow off any excess steam into this tank of Water before suflicient steam pressure has been generated to cause the water to overflow at the return sump.

Several advantages are gained by this low pressure blow-off device, namely, reliability of action, the basement is not filled with steam, and a great racket is made to attract the attention of an attendant to the fact that the damper is not properly checking the fire.

The blow-01f pipe reaches to near the bottom of this chamber and discharges into the body of water.

My system works best on a pressure of about one pound.

At each of the return fittings 10 I preferably employ a water seal indicated at 30. These water seals are to discourage air from the radiators passing into the return piping. They are fitted with removable bottoms to allow'them to be cleared of sediment.

I do not limit myself to the relative location and arrangement of the vent and the thermostatic valve, as other arrangements of said parts may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

In this system the location of any stoppage in the return pipes is self-indicating and readily removed, by virtue of the individual free open separator sumps at thebottom of each return riser in combination with the common open return sump pot, for the group of return laterals, arranged over and discharging vertically to the boiler return pipe; also smaller return pipes may be used throughout the return system withouta possibility of air binding. Also on account of a free open air vent on each radiator, smaller steam supply pipes may be effectively used as practically no pressure is required to push the air out of the radiators.

. I claim:

1. In combination with a steam radiator, a steam inlet valve, thermostatic means for controlling said valve according to room temperature, and a vent to atmosphere for the radiator, said vent descharging upon the thermostatic means, substantially as described.

2. Apparatus according to "claim 1, in which the vent comprises a pipe having its discharge end directed against the exterior of the thermostatic means to discharge steam freely onto said means. a

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the vent comprises a pipe extending from the radiator at a point thereon opposite the side of said radiator at which the inlet valve is located and discharging against I thermostat, saiddeflector consisting of an enclined plate arranged below the thermostat substantially as described.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the deflector consists of a plate inclined relative to and adjustable about a vertical axis to deflect the heatin diflerent directions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the inclined deflector is mounted'on the steam supply pipe leading to the radiator and means for setting said plate in different positions about said supply pipe.

9. In combination with'a steam radiator and its steam inlet valve, a thermostat arranged coaxially with the valve and com prising a cell exposed to the room tempera ture and serving as a handle for adjusting the valve and a vent for the radiator discharging to atmosphere and upon said cell, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my. signature.

EDWARD S. HALSEY. 

